Here mousy mousy mousy (Lechyclaw)

[mystic]

Lizardheart
^{If you are afraid to die, you have already died}

Lizardheart pressed her body to the ground. There were mice near by, fat mice who fed on grain. Because they were fat, and used to cats not harming them, they were slow and stupid. This made them perfect prey. Her long bushy tail flicked back and forth and she wriggled her back end just a little before rushing forwards and sinking her teeth into the mouse. She smiled and padded along, dropping the mouse on the ground and covering it with dirt. It wouldn't take too long for the mice to calm down and come back to foraging. She just had to wait. So wait she did, sitting down and wrapping her tail around her paws. Her ears flicked about as she thought about things in general. Then one ear flicked back and she turned around. However her body relaxed from her attack ready pose when she saw it was only Smudgeclaw.

"Hello." she mewed, flicking one ear back. "What brings you here?"

[night]

He had been busy hunting, chasing after yet another rabbit, when a scent wafted past his nose. He managed to pin down the rabbit, but it wriggled away when he looked over towards Horseplace. "Mousedung," he spat, annoyed at himself. Ah, well, he never really wanted to bring back such a terrible catch anyways. It was just a young rabbit, hardly enough to feed a kit. He still had the afternoon, anyways. Might as well go investigate that scent.

He made his way over to Horseplace, keeping his steps light, just in time to see Lizardheart wriggling, then pouncing. She was right on target, and straightened with a mouse clamped in her jaws. Smudgeclaw grinned to himself at the sight. Such a skilled huntress...and a beauty to boot. He moved forward ever so slightly, and that movement was enough to cause her to whip around, crouched in defense.

Smudgeclaw smiled charmingly at her. "Hey," he greeted her. "I was just hunting rabbits, when I caught your scent. Great catch," he said, motioning to his tail towards her cache. "I missed my rabbit, but I figured I could always get another. Mind if I hunt with you for a little while? We can talk too. I haven't spoken with you in quite a while...." The handsome tom moved closer, until he was sitting just inches away from her, his green eyes friendly.

[mystic]

Lizardheart
^{If you are afraid to die, you have already died}

She nodded. "Thank you." she mewed. "The mice here are fat and stupid." she said. "They eat grain all day and the barn cats don't hunt them." she smirked. "It makes them easy prey for a at trained to hunt." She said. She tilted her head and sat down wrapping her tail around her paws. "That stinks." She mewed. "The clan needs prey with leaf bare on us." She paused and flicked her tail. "Of course you can hunt with me. Just be careful, the two-legs can show up at the oddest times." She mewed. "you don't want them capturing you."

[night]

"Well then," Smudgeclaw smiled. "I'm sure you could catch at least fifty by the end of today, yeah? Together, we could catch enough to feed all the Clans for a week!" He smiled at her, as she sat.

"I think we'll be okay, this leafbare. After all, joking aside, we do have the advantage, like the mice here at Horseplace, and that's something the other Clans don't have. We'll make it through as the strongest Clan." Smudgeclaw flicked his tail, and stood again.

"However, that means we need to hunt, and make sure we are well-fed. No two-leg scares me; after all, cats are smarter and faster than any ol' two-leg." He chuckled. "They won't capture me, and I wouldn't let them capture you, either. You're my Clanmate! Don't you trust me to protect you like a warrior would?" Smudgeclaw winked at her.

[mystic]

Lizardheart
^{If you are afraid to die, you have already died}

She smiled. "You are a flatterer." She giggled. "Stop it!" she smiled. "Oh, look the mice are back." She pointed with her tail and dropped into a hunting crouch. She took a deep breath and watched, picking a target out. She noticed a fat mouse nosing about picking up grain from the ground. It got closer and closer to her. Then, when she knew she was close enough, she lunged forward and leapt onto the mouse. It let out a few loud squeaks before she killed it and brought it back to her catch of mice.

"There are still some over there if you want to try your paw at it." she pointed to a different group of rodents, picking at grain that the two-legs had spilt while feeding their horses. "I'm sure you'll be able to do it quite well. I mean form what I've heard tell, you're a pretty skilled hunter yourself Smudgeclaw."

[night]

"What?" Smudgeclaw asked in mock hurt. "I never flatter! I only tell what the truth is!" He grinned at her, then turned, his eyes falling upon the mice. Pity. She was such a charmer to be with...

And even more charming when in action. Smudgeclaw kept his gaze on her figure as she moved closer, and as the mouse drew nearer. Finally, she lunged for it, and landed on the mouse, which squealed in terror, then fell silent. Ah, what grace there was in hunting...

Smudgeclaw smirked. "Skilled? Me? I guess you could say that...but I think you are a finer huntress," he said, his smile still as charming as ever. "Very well, I shall attempt to get close to the mice..."

So saying, he dropped into a crouch, his pelt and muscles rippling as he did so. Belly flat to the ground, stepping lightly, keeping his weight balanced...it was all practiced, and he hoped it showed. Nothing could sweep a lady off her feet like a skilled warrior and hunter. The mouse he had picked out was oblivious to his presence, at least until he drew nearer. Suddenly alarmed, the mouse looked around, and Smudgeclaw saw his chance.

In a flash of black and white, the other mice scattered, abandoning their companion. Said companion mouse lay wriggling under Smudgeclaw's grip, until he delivered a swift bite to its neck. Then, it fell silent and still, and he turned back to Lizardheart.

"Yes, I suppose I can hunt decently," he grinned, nudging the body with one claw. He picked it up and brought it over to where her catch was, brushing past her in the briefest touches of fur. He set his mouse down beside her little pile, and looked over his shoulder at her, green eyes warm and teasing.

[mystic]

She smiled at him. "I know flattery when I see it Smudgeclaw. It doesn't work on me." She told him. He was charming enough, but to win her in any way he was going to have to try harder than that. She swept her tail over her face, batting her eyelashes at him. She didn't want him to give up, flirting was fun. She just wanted him to know that flowery words were not the way to her heart.

"That was not a bad catch." She mewed. "A nice fat mouse." She added. "Three mice so far, soon we will have enough to return to camp. Though it is always better to get more than less, we don't want grumpy elders. They're no fun to be around at all." she giggled and flicked her tail at his nose, teasing him.

[night]

Smudgeclaw twitched his whiskers. "Really now? And here I was thinking she-cats liked being praised. I wasn't trying to 'work on you'...I just wanted to compliment you. Is that so bad?" He gave her his best innocent gaze, making sure to hide his smirk. Fine. If flattery didn't work, he'd have to pursue her in other ways. He'd get her eventually.

He always did.

"Of course we'll need to catch more," he said with a grin. "We don't want any grumpy elders. I would rather not relive my days as an apprentice, getting my ears clawed off if I didn't bring enough prey back." He laughed, sitting down next to her, flicking her pelt with his tail.

Two can play this game, he thought smugly. I can flirt just as well as she can. Better, even.

[mystic]

Lizardheart smiled at him. "Most she-cats." she corrected. "I am not most she-cats." She told him. "A cat who is of noble birth does not fall for flattery." she puffed her chest out. She smiled at him. "But I suppose you were just trying to be nice." She purred, chuckling a little.

"I always brought home enough prey as an apprentice." she boasted. "I never got my ears clawed off. They're quite intact." she grinned, walking around him, purring lightly. "If you have stories and fears of that, then I must be a better hunter than you are. Of course, I am one of the best hunters and fighters in the clan. I can kill a deadly snake no problem. I've done it before." She grinned, showing far to many teeth.

[night]

"Drat," Smudgeclaw said with a chuckle. "And here I was hoping I could sweep you off your paws with a few choice words. I wasn't kidding, you know," he said, making his tone a bit more serious. "You are a very beautiful she-cat, and a fine huntress...." Just what any tom would want, he thought, inwardly smirking.

"Oh, I usually got blamed by the others for the lack of prey. I didn't mind it when the elders clawed my ears off. I knew I could hunt for myself. I was just too lazy. You actually killed a snake once? Impressive!" He gave her an admiring glance. Eh, she had killed a snake. Whatever. Nothing that he could use...it was more of a ThunderClan trait anyways, nothing he was really too interested in. No, her petite figure was more to his liking...and her proud personality.

I'll just have to see how to get past that pride, and make her mine... he thought. "Well," he said aloud, gently nudging her shoulder with his. "It didn't hurt to try a bit of flattery. I rarely give out false flattery you know. I hardly lie. Besides, why would I lie about it? Just take the compliment, store it away, and remember that you are a beautiful she-cat, with the power to break a tom's heart with a single glance." He laughed.

[mystic]

She smiled and puffed her chest out more, she knew she was great. She didn't need to have any to tell her that. "You know, if you want to even want a chance with me. Words aren't going to sweep me off my paws. I'm looking for an equal." She walked around him. "That mouse you killed was impressive." She paused and crouched low, deciding to test him.

Without warning she leapt at him, careful to keep her claws sheathed. "Let's see how you'd deal with keeping the clan safe." She said as she started their impormptu sparring match.

[night]

"An equal, eh? Well then there's a bunch I'll have to show you..." Smudgeclaw chuckled, then tensed, as Lizardheart crouched. He only had a moment to guess her intentions, before she had launched herself at him. He waited until she had almost plowed into him, when suddenly, he dropped beneath her, flipping over onto his back and kicking upward with all four paws, claws sheathed of course.

His intent was to push her farther than she had intended, and give him extra time to prepare for the next attack, while winding her. It was an odd move, to be sure, but it hadn't failed him before.

Without pausing for breath, he then rolled over once more, and sprang to his feet, dodging to the side in anticipation. He now faced her, ready for her next move, his nerves on fire, waiting to move again. Overall, the entire sequence had taken less than a minute. Nice to know he hadn't forgotten any of his training in the past few (peaceful) moons. Now, to test Lizardheart's skills....

[mystic]

Lizardheart let out a cough as she was caught square in the ribs. She hit the dust and curled into a ball, rolling to her feet in a fluid motion. A good trick indeed. But it was going to take more than a few tricks for her to roll over like a kit. No, if this tom was serious about his flirting, then he would have to prove himself. She only wanted to mate with a strong tom. One who could prove his worth and pull his weight. With a suffix like claw, he was already on his way, but he would have to show her why he had the suffix of a fighter.

She circled around him, moving forward as if to attack then pulling back. She played this game with him, not letting on when she was truly going to leap until she was in the air. She kept her ears back as she sailed though the air, she kept her legs tucked in until just before she landed when she struck out with all her weight on her front paws, aiming for his shoulders.

[night]

Mousedung, he only succeeded in winding her. She was skilled at more than hunting....he smirked inwardly at that. How good was good?

Focus. Back to the fight. She kept bobbing and weaving, which would have confused any other Clan cat. Not so with Smudgeclaw. He'd seen this before. Wait for it...wait for it...

Now!

As she lunged at him, he flattened himself out, dodging underneath her, whirling around as she sailed over him. He reared up on his hind legs, aiming for an upright lock, and brought his forelegs down with all his weight behind it, to hopefully knock her down and perhaps (if he was lucky, though he doubted it) pin her. In the very least, he would succeed in unbalancing her.

[mystic]

She landed, missing him. "Fox dung." she spat, ears back. She swiftly whirled around, only avoiding his kicking paws by a kittenstep. She stumbled back, then fell over her own paws landing in a heap. What she knew, and hoped he didn't, was that this was a ploy to get him to leap at her. Reading his type she knew he was arrogant and would take the chance to attack. When he attacked, she would be ready. He would see what a skilled warrior she was. She had been able to kill a deadly snake, she could defeat him in sparring.